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Greek Coins :
Bactrian Silver Coins : Bactrian Silver Tetradrachm of King Antimachos I
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Bactrian Silver Tetradrachm of King Antimachos I - LC.021
Origin: Afghanistan
Circa: 185
BC
to 170
BC
Collection: Greek Coins
Medium: Silver
£1,850.00
Location: Great Britain
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| Description |
Obverse: Diademed Bust of the King Wearing a
Kausia
Reverse: The God Poseidon Holding a Trident and
a Palm Branch
Antimachos I ruled Bactria from around 185 to
170 B.C. The historical record offers conflicting
suggestions that he either a member of the
familial dynasty founded by Euthydemos I or that
he was independent of Euthydemid authority.
Though little is known about his reign, we do
know that he was likely overthrown by
Eucratides, who lead a successful revolt against
the Eythydemids and usurped the Bactrian
throne. In the history of numismatics,
Antimachos is distinguished as the first Hellenic
ruler to declare himself “Basileos Teou” or “God-
King.” Also notable, some of his coins feature the
image of an elephant on the obverse, a position
normally reserved for royal portraits. As
elephants are traditionally one of the symbols for
Buddhism, this feature has been interpreted as
symbolizing the victory of the Bactrians against
the Hindu Sunga Empire, which effectively freed
the Buddhists in northern India.
How many hands have touched a coin in your
pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have
the coin traversed on its journey into our
possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull
out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of
who touched the coin before us, or where the
coin will venture to after us. More than money,
coins are a symbol of the state that struck them,
of a specific time and place, whether
contemporary currencies or artifacts of long
forgotten empires. This stunning hand-struck
coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and
intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in
contemporary machine-made currencies. This
coin is a memorial an ancient king and his
empire passed from the hands of civilization to
civilization, from generation to generation that
still appears as vibrant today as the day it was
struck.
- (LC.021)
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